Suit blames hotel for death from Legionnaires' disease

The JW Marriott Hotel at 151 W. Adams in Chicago in 2010. Eight cases of Legionnaires disease have been identified in people who stayed at the hotel between mid-July and mid-August.

The JW Marriott Hotel at 151 W. Adams in Chicago in 2010. Eight cases of Legionnaires disease have been identified in people who stayed at the hotel between mid-July and mid-August. (Heather Charles, Chicago Tribune)

The bacteria was found in a decorative fountain of the main lobby that has since been removed after it also infected other visitors.

Keane, who was visiting Chicago with his wife on their 40th anniversary, was later diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease and died on Aug. 29, according to the lawsuit.

The suit was filed by Lorraine O’Donnell, a special administrator of Keane, though it is unclear if the two are related.

The lawsuit charges that the hotel failed to create and implement “appropriate control measures” to ensure the fountain was bacteria-free, and didn’t maintain appropriate water temperatures and biocide levels in the fountain.

Also named in the lawsuit is the Prime Group Inc., which owned or operated the JW Marriott, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit also contends the hotel should have known and warned patrons of the contaminated fountain between July 27 and Aug. 3.

Keane suffered “great conscious pain” before he died and incurred various medical expenses, according to the lawsuit.

Representatives of the Marriott and O’Donnell could not be reached for comment Thursday evening.

Test results also showed that the hotel’s pool, the spa's whirlpool and both the men's and women's locker rooms contained “the same species of Legionella,” according to the Chicago Department of Public Health.

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